Thuja plant named ‘MonPin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Thuja  plant named ‘MonPin’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; pyramidal plant form; freely branching habit; dense and bushy form; developing leaves are golden yellow to light yellow green in color becoming darker green with development; and good winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MonPin’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Thuja plant, botanically known as Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata, commonly known as Western Arborvitae and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘MonPin’.

The new Thuja plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata ‘Green Giant’, not patented. The new Thuja plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within a population of plants of ‘Green Giant’ in May, 2007 in an outdoor nursery in Dayton, Oreg.

Asexual reproduction of the new Thuja plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Dayton, Oreg. since December, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Thuja plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Thuja have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MonPin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MonPin’ as a new and distinct Thuja plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit; pyramidal plant form.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy form.     -   3. Developing leaves are golden yellow to light yellow green in         color becoming darker green with development.     -   4. Good winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Thuja can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Green Giant’. Plants of the new Thuja differ primarily from plants of ‘Green Giant’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Thuja are more compact than plants of         ‘Green Giant’.     -   2. Plants of the new Thuja are denser than and not as open as         plants of ‘Green Giant’.     -   3. Plants of the new Thuja and ‘Green Giant’ differ in leaf         color as developing leaves of plants of ‘Green Giant’ are bright         green in color.

Plants of the new Thuja can be compared to plants of Thuja occidentalis, ‘Brandon’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Thuja differed primarily from plants of ‘Brandon’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Thuja were more compact than plants of         ‘Brandon’.     -   2. Plants of the new Thuja grew slower than plants of ‘Brandon’.     -   3. Plants of the new Thuja and ‘Brandon’ differed in leaf color         as developing leaves of plants of ‘Brandon’ are bright green in         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Thuja plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Thuja plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘MonPin’.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘MonPin’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in five-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Dayton, Oreg. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Thuja plant production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 32° and night temperatures ranged from −2° C. to 15° C. Plants were 44 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata ‘MonPin’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Thuja     standishii×Thuja plicata ‘Green Giant’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to produce rooted young plants.—About two to three             months at soil temperatures of at 16° C. to 24° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub; compact             plant habit and upright pyramidal plant form; moderately             vigorous growth habit; medium to slow growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 74 cm.         -   Plant diameter, base.—About 48 cm.         -   Plant diameter, apex.—About 4 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 26             lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy             habit; plants can be sheared to maintain overall plant             shape.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm to 8 mm; main trunk, about 3.2 cm. Internode             length: About 2.5 cm to 5.4 cm. Aspect: Main branch,             upright; lateral branches curving upward. Strength: Strong.             Texture, developing branches: Slightly scaly. Texture, main             trunk: Woody. Color: Developing branches: Close to N199C.             Developed branches: Close to N199A. Main trunk: Close to             197A to 197B.         -   Leaf description.—Appearance and arrangement: Flattened and             closely appressed, scale-like; opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 2 mm to 2.5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute to apiculate. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Venation pattern: Parallel. Fragrance: When             crushed, aromatic and cedar-like. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             glandular. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 15C becoming closer to N144A with             development; during the winter, developing leaves become             darker yellow in color with orange red-colored apices. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137A; venation, close to 137A. -   Cone description: Cone development has not been observed on plants     of the new Thuja. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Thuja have been observed     have good winter hardiness and to be tolerant to USDA Hardiness     Zones 4 to 8 and AHS Heat Zones 1 to 8. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Thuja have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Thuja     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Thuja plant named ‘MonPin’ as illustrated and described. 